The Favor
by TVaddict2010
Summary: Set following current story line. Lor & Chris are divorced. Lor & Luke are on bad terms. However, Logan & Rory are engaged and planning their wedding. Rory knows who she wants to walk her down the aisle. Will he do it? What does this mean for Lorelai
1. Chapter 1

"Mom, I've got something I want to talk with you about…" said a nervous Rory.

"Oh god, you're pregnant! You and Logan couldn't wait another three months until after the wedding to begin popping out babies. Ohhh your grandmother is going to be very upset young lady…you know she doesn't like it when people screw with her party plans. We're going to have to resize your dress, now just how far along are you? Are you still going to want to wear white? Logan already knows right? I sure hope you told him…" Lorelai continued to ramble on until Rory finally managed to get a word in.

"Mom! I'm not pregnant"

"Oh," said Lorelai, "Well then what's up?"

"Well, Logan and I were discussing the wedding ceremony last night and the whole 'who's going to walk me down the aisle' issue came up again…"

"Oh honey, I'm sure you dad…"

"Mom, no. No more excuses. He has gone too far this time. I knew it would be a new kind of awkward after you two got divorced. But there is no reason for what he has done…"

"Babe, your dad loves you…"

"Yeah, maybe, but he's gone. He took Gigi and moved to Paris to get back together with Sherry. We haven't seen or heard from him since the divorce papers were signed."

"He just needs some time…"

"No mom, stop. I sent the wedding invitation three months ago! He is the only one who hasn't responded. I may share some of his DNA, but he is no longer my dad in my opinion," sniffed Rory, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Shh, honey, it's ok, I am sooo sorry," comforted Lorelai, pulling Rory into a strong embrace. "Ok, shh, so what did you and Logan decide to do? Are you going to walk by yourself? You know I'd do it, but as your maid of honor, I do have other responsibilities during the ceremony…"

"No it's ok, I know that you would do it if you could," Rory whispered, still clinging to her mom, "you have been so great planning this wedding with me. I mean you and grandma are actually getting along. I never could have gotten to this point without you. It's just… I don't know how you are going to react to our decision."

"What is it Rory? I'm sure I'll support whatever you decided. Unless you are deciding to have a naked wedding…because I can just not stand to think of my mother…"

"We decided on Luke," interrupted Rory, anxious for her mother's reaction.

Suddenly Rory felt Lorelai stiffen in her arms.

"What?" questioned Lorelai, pulling out of their embrace. "Luke? What about him?"

Lorelai suddenly felt herself losing cognitive control. She had been suppressing thoughts of him all summer. He had been gone for the past three months, out on his new boat, with April, his sweet daughter, whose existence had led to their slow demise as a couple. Lorelai was suddenly flooded with memories. The electricity of his touch, the passion in his kissed. Lorelai felt the color rise to her cheeks as she remember all the times she and Luke had made love on this very couch., the very one that she and Rory were currently sitting on. But as quickly as those memories came, they were gone, replaced by an empty feeling of both sadness and lonliness. Her heart ached knowing his boat trip was meant to keep him away from her. It had been months since she had even laid eyes on him. If she could only look at him again, just to stare into his intense blue eyes, or if she could only touch him again, if only just to feel whole again…

"Mom? Hello? Did you hear me?"

"Hmmm?" Lorelai slowly pulled herself out of the dream.

"I said did you hear what we decided?"

"No babe, what was it? You mentioned Luke?"

"Yeah I want Luke to walk me down the aisle. He's always been a father figure to me and honestly I would rather he do it than Chris."

"Wow," Lorelai said, speechless and slightly stunned.

"Say something Mom…" Rory begged.

"Wow," Lorelai repeated. "Have you asked him yet?"

"No, that's the thing…" Rory began.

"What?" Lorelai questioned.

"Well, the paper is sending me on location to California for the next two weeks and I know Luke comes back from his trip tomorrow…I was hoping that you could…"

"Rory, no…you can not possibly be asking me to talk to him? The man avoids me like the plague, and I don't blame him. I would avoid me too! I haven't even been to the diner in over a year and a half."

"Mom, I know this will be hard for you, but you guys don't have to talk about anything but the wedding. Just tell him about my dilemma and how I really want him to do this for me. Please Mom…"

"I don't know, Kid. There's just so much pain between us…I came to the realization long ago that I will always love Luke. And it's just too hard to face that when I know he's gotten over me. I just can't. I'm sorry.

"Mom, please…I wouldn't have asked you to do this if I wasn't desperate…I believe you can do this…Please?"

Lorelai took a deep breath, contemplating the want to help her daughter versus her fear of facing the man she still loves.

"Fine, ok. I'll go talk to him. But you owe me big time. Maybe even your first born child," Lorelai quipped.

"Oh thanks Mom! See you made a joke…you can do this."

"Yeah we'll see," Lorelai let out a deep sigh. "I think he will be thrilled and extremely honored to do this for you, hon. Even though we aren't together anymore, I know he will always be such a big part of your life."

"Thank you so much mom. Ok I need to get home, Logan is expecting me home for dinner and then I am catching the red eye to LAX. I love you Mom," said Rory as she leaned over to and gave Lorelai a quick kiss on the cheek. "Let me know how it goes…I'll have my cell on."

"Sure thing babe," muttered Lorelai, as Rory rushed out of the house.

As Lorelai remained on the couch, a new sensation was coming over her. She tried to ignore it but she knew what it was. It was a twinge of hope and excitement. She was going to see Luke. Luke. Her Luke. A small smile spread over her face. However, it quickly disappeared when she realized that she would not receive a warm welcome from Luke. He would be cold and distant. She just hoped that he would listen long enough to hear Rory's request. Deep down she knew he would do it.

Another sigh escaped Lorelai's lips. She absentmindedly reached down and patted Paul Anka's head.

"Mommy's got to be brave Paul Anka. Tomorrow is a very big day."


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, even Lorelai could not believe how much coffee she had consumed. Typically, coffee calmed her down. It was like Ritalin to her ADD. It could suppress her super-active mind and motor mouth and help her concentrate on her responsibilities at the inn. However, on this particular morning, after downing two pots at home, inhaling two Weston cups of coffee to-go and finishing off her own personal pot of coffee at the inn, Lorelai was no where near calm. She was jittery and uncoordinated. Michele had already given her an earful earlier when she had run into an end table and knocked over two lamps and broken a picture frame. Lorelai had just given him a nervous half smile and rushed into the kitchen, hoping her next pot of coffee had finished brewing.

"Wow Lorelai. That first pot can normally last you until at least 10 am!" exclaimed Sookie.

"Yeah well I keep drinking more, hoping the caffeine will magically kick in," stated Lorelai, suddenly dropping the pile of mail she was sorting through, "but for some reason I'm just not with it today, obviously," as she rolled her eyes and kneeled down to pick up the dropped mail.

"Are you ok? I have never seen coffee betray you like this since…well no, actually coffee always does the trick for you…something must be wrong. What's up?"

There was a slight pause as Lorelai chugged another mug of coffee. Sookie waited impatiently. When she was finished, Lorelai moved to place the cup on the counter. But it slipped, fell to the floor and shattered into pieces. Lorelai quickly jumped to grab the broom but knocked over a mop and bucket in the process.

"Lorelai, stop. Go sit down in your office. I'll clean this up and then you can tell me what's going on. And no more coffee!" shouted Sookie as Lorelai moved to pour herself another cup.

Still a little stunned, Lorelai wordlessly put down the coffee, turned and walked into her office.

"Damn, what it wrong with me? I've turned into a crazy lady," muttered Lorelai.

Crazy lady. Wow, Lorelai hadn't thought about that nickname in awhile. She could still vividly remember that dream. She and Luke had been happy. She had been pregnant…with twins. Thoughts of the dream led Lorelai down a path she never let herself go down. _If Luke and I had gotten married, would I be pregnant now? _Lorelai's hand subconsciously drifted to her stomach. The ache of losing Luke and the baby which could have been was unbearable. Tears welled up in her eyes and silently began to roll down her cheeks.

"Oh Lorelai, what's wrong?" Sookie asked as she walked into Lorelai's office, catching her best friend crying.

Lorelai quickly sat up, wiping away her tears. "Nothing Sook. It's just the coffee...maybe I made it wrong or something."

"Lorelai Gilmore don't lie to me. There is something wrong and I'm not leaving until you tell me," said Sookie as she closed the door and took a seat. "Spill."

Lorelai took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, trying to regain control of her body.

Finally she spoke, "Rory wants Luke to walk her down the aisle at her wedding."

"Oh well that's not too bad. He is like a father to her. I mean I can see where this might make you a little uncomfortable and yes, it might be a little awkward at times, but Lorelai, I think it's a good idea. Plus, who says you have to even see Luke until the wedding."

"Oh but I do…" whispered Lorelai.

"What? Why?" questioned Sookie.

"Don't get me wrong Sookie, I love the idea of Luke walking Rory down the aisle. I've always thought of him as her father and have even dreamed about the day when we could all be a real family," Lorelai slowly began, feeling the tears coming again.

Sookie was becoming concerned, "What is it hon? If you want this to happen, what's the problem? When are you going to have to see him?"

"Rory is in California and she asked me to ask him for her…"

"Ohhhh…"

"Yeah, exactly. I'm supposed to go talk to him today. I mean, it shouldn't be this hard. We've been over for almost a year. But every time I think of him… God Sookie, I don't know if I can do it."

"Lorelai, look at me. You can do this. Luke will be thrilled to do this for Rory. You just walk into that diner with your head held high. You have nothing to be ashamed or nervous about, the end of your relationship was just as much his fault as yours."

"You're right, Sookie. I can do it," said Lorelai sounding more confident than she really was, "I think I'm going to head over there this evening after the dinner rush. Can you cover for me here if I leave around seven?"

"Absolutely."

"Great, thank you so much. Pheww…" Lorelai released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "I should try and get some work done."

Lorelai tried to make it through the rest of the day without anymore major mishaps. Her shaky caffeine high was slowly wearing off, but she still hid away in her office for most of the time nonetheless. Luke never was far from her mind though. Millions of different scenarios were running though her head. Some ended with him screaming and yelling at her, never letting her get in a word about Rory, until she left fleeing the diner in tears. In some, he was patient and kind, agreeing to walk Rory down the aisle while giving her one of those smiles that made her melt, not a single bit of awkwardness between them. But then there were other scenarios in which she imagined walking into the dinner, making eye contact with him and then not registering another thought until his lips were against hers, she was pushed up against the counter with his hands roaming all over her body. Lorelai felt a familiar yearning building up in her lower abdomen during these scenarios. Sometimes she could ride out the daydream until she and Luke lay exhausted across his bed. Other times she was interrupted by some form of inn business and had to snap out of it. Lorelai didn't know what to expect when she visited Luke later that evening…and that's what scared her the most…


	3. Chapter 3

At 7:15 that evening, Lorelai still had not left the Dragonfly. While she knew she needed to leave soon, small odd jobs kept popping up and were keeping her busy, to which Lorelai did not object. Yesterday's excitement over seeing Luke had turned into dread. He was always so unpredictable with his moods, and within the last year, she had experienced her share of his bad moods.

"Lorelai! What the heck are you still doing here?" questioned Sookie, who had just barged into Lorelai's office, ignoring the closed door.

"I'm going. I'm going," grumbled Lorelai who slowly stood up and gathered her jacket and purse.

Sookie insisted on walking Lorelai to the door, ensuring her friend actually left, all the while muttering encouraging words in her ear.

"It's going to be fine…Don't worry. Good luck."

"Thanks Sookie..." said Lorelai, turning back to face her, "for everything. I'll call you later."

* * *

The drive to Luke's went by quicker than Lorelai had expected. Before she knew it she was parking her car across the street, breathing deeply trying to calm her nerves. Lorelai could not remember the last time she had been this nervous. Her limbs seemed to be moving on their own, and she was experiencing an out-of-body experience as she crossed the street. As she approached the door, she noticed that no customers remained inside. She had hoped that a few would be present, requiring that she and Luke maintain their calm no matter how badly the conversation turned. The bells jangled above her head as she entered the diner. The sound alone caused Lorelai's stomach to jump into her throat. She could feel her hands sweating and her heart pounding. Just the smell and familiar surroundings almost caused Lorelai to cry for the third time that day. The diner smelled of coffee and grease, probably her two favorite things in the world. Nothing had changed. It was like no time had passed, which at that moment, Lorelai wished was true. 

"Lorelai?"

Her heart stopped. His voice, unreadable, violently pulled her back to reality. She forced her eyes to focus on his emerging figure, coming out of the storage room. She willed herself to take a step forward.

"Hi," she responded.

"Wh- What are you doing here?"

"Hmm," Lorelai chuckled to herself, "isn't that the question of the year."

"What was that?"

"Oh yes that's right, you've been away from the random quips for too long. It must be like I'm speaking another language right now," Lorelai responded with a small smile playing across her face.

"Yeah, something like that," answered Luke, again with no emotion in his voice, "So do you want anything? Coffee?"

"Sure why not, I haven't met my quota for the day," Lorelai chuckled to herself.

Luke turned his back to pour her a cup. She slowly approached the counter, lowering herself onto a stool.

"Sooo," she began.

"Sooo," he responded, placing a mug of coffee in front of her. "What's up?"

Instinctively, Lorelai raised her eyebrows, her catchphrase 'Dirty' on the tip of her tongue. She quickly looked down into her coffee avoiding his gaze, realizing she no longer had the power nor the right to make such comments.

"So here's the thing…" she began again.

He just looked at her, arms crossed, leaning back against the counter, waiting. He knew it must be important if she had braved her way into the diner.

"Rory and Logan are getting married in a couple months," Lorelai continued.

"Yeah I know. I saw the invitation in my stack of mail when I got from my trip this morning. I already sent back an RSVP… Are you ok with her getting married?" Luke asked after Lorelai remained quiet.

"Oh…yeah. I mean I figured it was coming. They're great together. But I'm not here to just tell you about the wedding…"

"Well then what are you here for?" Luke questioned, a little confused.

"On behalf of Rory, I'm here to request a favor…"

Lorelai took a deep breath, trying to get out what she had came here to say, trying to block out the images of the wedding she had imagined having with Luke.

"What is it? Is Rory ok?" Luke asked, sounding concerned.

"She's fine. She's great actually…very excited. My baby's all grown up," Lorelai could feel herself to starting to babble. "Who knew she'd get married before m…" Lorelai stopped realizing she had gone too far.

"Sorry I'm babbling," trying to cover up the near catastrophic slip, "typical me!" exclaimed Lorelai, breathing hard.

"The favor Lorelai," Luke reminded her, recognizing that they were headed into dangerous territory.

"Right, right. Ok the thing is, Rory wants you to walk her down the aisle at her wedding."

* * *

To be continued... Please R&R!! 


	4. Chapter 4

Ok, I know this is a little short, but I liked the ending and want a little more time to think about where I'm going to take the Luke and Lorelai relationship ( I promise it will be good!)

* * *

The silence was deafening to Lorelai. Barely two seconds had passed since she had asked him, but for all she knew, they could easily have been standing there for two days. Luke hadn't moved. Lorelai wondered for a split second if maybe she hadn't really spoken, that he was still standing there waiting for her to ask the favor. But suddenly Luke snapped out of his trance and focused on Lorelai.

"Rory wants me to walk her down the aisle?" Luke asked, sounding like he was still slightly taken aback.

Lorelai nodded her head, breaking eye contact and fixing her gaze on the cup of coffee once again. She knew that was coming next and it was the topic she most feared.

"What about Christopher?"

Lorelai winced at the obvious spite dripping from Luke's words. She had known this question would come, but in all the scenarios she had imagined, Lorelai still didn't know how to respond. She didn't want to have to admit to Luke what a mistake marrying Christopher had been and how she regrets losing Luke every moment of every day.

"He…He won't be at the wedding," Lorelai mumbled.

"He's not going to be at his own daughter's wedding? What nerve! It honestly doesn't surprise me how low this man can go," Luke snarled, not caring if Lorelai was hurt by his words.

"Yeah… Neither Rory or I have heard from him since… well since the papers were signed," said Lorelai unable to say the word divorce in front of Luke.

Lorelai finally looked up at Luke. They held each others gaze for what felt like hours. He still had such an effect on her. It was hard to catch her breath and her body seemed to go numb. She knew, with him looking at her like this, she couldn't hide her feeling from him. He could not only see her anxiety and nervousness, but he could also see the love she still had for him. Lorelai watched as his eyes softened and his posture became more relaxed. There was a sense of comfort between them. She knew he felt some sort of satisfaction that Christopher had turned out to be a jerk once again. But it was more than that. For a quick moment he was looking at her like he used to when they were together. Lorelai felt lost in his clear, blue eyes.

"Luke…" Lorelai barely whispered.

Luke suddenly jerked himself up, and began to busy himself with wiping down the already clean countertops. Lorelai shook her head clear, realizing she had yet to accomplish that goal she had come for.

"About Rory…" Lorelai began. "She…"

"Yes." Luke interrupted.

"Yes?"

"Yes."


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry this took a couple days...midterms are really piling up. Let me know what you think about the story so far. Be patient...you'll get what you want!!

* * *

Once again, silence engulfed the diner. Lorelai didn't know what to do now. Luke had agreed. She had accomplished what she had come for. So what now? Should she just walk away, allowing them to go back to avoiding each other? Would she now not see him again until Rory's wedding? Finally, Lorelai spoke:

"Umm ok. Thank you. Rory will be thrilled. Ok…well…I'm gonna go," said Lorelai motioning towards the door, "I'll call Rory…let her know you said yes."

Whatever sense of comfort and familiarity that Luke and Lorelai had felt moments earlier had quickly evaporated. They stood now, like two gawky teenagers, staring at each other as if they were complete strangers, unsure of how they got there.

"Ok…bye," muttered Lorelai when Luke failed to respond, turning around and heading for the door. She had her hand on the doorknob when Luke finally spoke.

"Lorelai…" mumbled Luke.

Lorelai froze when she heard him speak her name. She had forgotten how he could make her knees go weak just like that, just with the uttering of her name. Lorelai closed her eyes, trying to stop the room from spinning. She slowly turned around to face him, leaning back against the door for support.

"Yeah?" she questioned with a slight sigh, suddenly feeling the effects of the three gallons of coffee she had consumed combined with the overbearing anxiety this conversation was causing.

"Can I call Rory and tell her? I want her to make sure that she knows how honored I am…that of course I'll do it."

"Of course Luke. She'd love to hear from you."

The tension between Luke and Lorelai was building once again. It had reached a level that they both knew could not be completely broken by just talking like they were now. No, this sort of tension could only be broken by the one act they never thought would happen again between the two of them, and right now the diner counter was the only physical barrier preventing them from running back into familiar arms. As soon as Lorelai began to muster up enough energy to try and leave again, Luke spoke:

"Oh, and Lorelai?"

"Yes?" the frustration in her voice obvious.

"Are you…I mean…You're ok with…this situation?" asked Luke all of a sudden very aware of the courage it had taken Lorelai to come into his diner.

Lorelai puller her eyes off of the diner floor and looked straight into Luke's eyes, stifling a small gasp when she saw Luke's face. He was truly concerned. Gathering her thoughts, Lorelai spoke in a tone much stronger and more confident than she thought possible.

"Yes, Luke. I think it's great. You've always been more a father that Christopher. Always."

With that statement, Lorelai game him a small smile and walked out of the diner. She was ok. She had seen, spoken to and even smiled at Luke today, and she was ok.

"Pheww…what a day," Lorelai muttered as she climbed into her jeep, oblivious to the intense and piercing blue eyes still watching her from inside the diner.

* * *

To Lorelai surprise, her day wasn't over quite yet when she arrived home five minutes later. As she walked through the front door, Lorelai noticed Paul Anka sleeping on the sofa. He didn't even raise his head to greet her.

"Why is it that when the over timer goes off you cower under the bed for a week, but when someone walks though the front door you don't even open an eye. This is where the danger is…you weird dog," Lorelai chirped as Paul Anka continued to sleep.

The answering machine caught Lorelai's attention, its red blinking light illuminating the dark room. Flipping on the family room light, Lorelai walked over to the machine.

"Three messages! Paul Anka, did you sign up for doggie dating again? There is no way that three whole people called just to talk to me!" Lorelai giggled, feeling a little giddy after the pressure of talking to Luke had been lifted. Lorelai pushed the play button, imaginary pen and pad positioned.

"Lorelai, it's your mother. I was trying to catch you before you left for work. Shoot. Ok well call me the _minute_ you get this. There has been a dire emergency with the wedding caterers… 'THOSE DO NOT GO THERE! CANDLESTICKS SHOULD BE SIX INCHES APART!'…Lorelai I have to go. These servants are going to be the death of me…Call me immediately."

"Yeah, we'll get right on that, won't we Paul Anka?" quipped Lorelai, keeping up the one way banter with the unconscious dog.

-Beep-

"Hey Lorelai! Sookie here. Just wanted to know how it went with Luke. Call me!"

-Beep-

"Lorelai…hi…it's Luke," Lorelai froze, not quite sure if what she was hearing was for real, "I just tried to call Rory. She didn't answer and I don't want to bug her while she is working," Lorelai smiled starting to remember just how much Luke cared for Rory, "I'd love to hear about the wedding. I can't believe how soon it is…Anyways, what I was calling for was…I was wondering if…maybe you would come by the diner tomorrow and tell me about the wedding? I understand if you don't want to but…well, I'll just leave it up to you. Come by after I close at around eight…if you want to. That way we can be alone…no not alone, that's not what I meant…I just, well, I mean, we don't want the whole town seeing us together, it's just too complicated," Luke let out a big sigh, "Look just come by if you want, if not, then I guess I'll see you around," there was another pregnant pause, "goodnight Lorelai."

And with that, the answering machine beeped twice and became silent. Lorelai, still a little stunned, walked over to the sofa and sat down next to Paul Anka. Her other messages forgotten.

"Well, Mommy's got to do it again Paul Anka. She's got to be brave and see Luke again," said Lorelai, placing her hand on the dog's head. She had not even considered not showing up the following day. Of course she would go.

At the sound of Luke's name, Paul Anka's head perked up. "Oh sure, you only react when you hear the name of the person who last cooked you hamburger…you evil, evil dog."


	6. Chapter 6

Lorelai was able to sleep in the next day. She had given herself the day off at the inn. When she woke up mid-morning, Lorelai felt rested and content. She didn't think she had slept so well and for so long since before the divorce, if not even since before Chris had reappeared in her life. The last year had been very difficult on Lorelai. She had lost the love of her life and had then immediately turned around and made the biggest mistake of her life by being with Christopher. Instead of wallowing, she had just jumped into his arms and thus into his bed. But slowly her life was turning around, with no men in her life once again, she had thrown herself into planning Rory's wedding and was starting to come to terms with her impending spinster cat-lady life. Lorelai sighed and crawled out of bed. Immediately she headed downstairs to start the coffee pot. As it brewed, Lorelai hoped into the shower.

After her second cup of coffee, Lorelai was finally conscious enough to realize that nobody had called Rory yet to tell her that Luke had said yes. She quickly picked up her phone and dialed Rory's number.

"You were supposed to call last night," answered Rory.

"Good Morning to you too kid. Glad to hear that you miss Mommy."

"So did you go see him?"

"I mean, how you will focus on all your important journalistic responsibilities when you know that we are more than 3000 miles apart for an entire week is beyond me!"

"Mom!"

"What?"

"Luke. Tell me what happened when you asked Luke."

"Oh, you wanted me to so that yesterday? I thought you meant like next year sometime…"

"I seriously am going to hang up on you."

"Fine, but just so you know, California Rory is no fun!"

"Just tell me what he said," said Rory, sounding anxious and unsure.

"Oh hun, of course he said yes. Luke loves you."

"Thank God! This is great! Thank you sooo much Mom!"

"Yeah yeah, just remember, that cost you your first kid," grumbled Lorelai.

"So how was it with you two? Weird, awkward?"

"No actually it was good…natural even. I'm actually going back to the diner tonight."

"Really, what for?"

"He wants to know all about the wedding and didn't want to bug you while you're on location."

"Awww well that's sweet."

"Yeah I guess. I just hope this friends thing can work out between the two of us. I hope he can look past our recent history."

"I'm sure that it will work out Mom. I mean, it's Luke."

"You're right…it is Luke. I think that's what scares me the most. But I guess I'll find out tonight where exactly we stand."

"Yup…hey Mom, I've got to go. But don't worry. Everything will be fine. Love you…"

"Bye, kid."

* * *

For the next couple hours, Lorelai busied herself with odd jobs around the house. She did a few loads of laundry, washed her dishes and altered some clothes. At about five o'clock she had exhausted her to-do list, showered again and was dressed and ready to go to Luke's. Frustrated with the free time, Lorelai climbed into her jeep and headed to the inn. After spending two and a half hours doing pointless work and bickering with Michele, Lorelai couldn't wait any longer. She climbed back into her jeep and arrived at the Diner at exactly 8:00.

"I can not remember that last time I was punctual," muttered Lorelai.

As expected, the Diner was deserted, with the front door sign flipped to "Closed". But the door was unlocked and Lorelai let herself in.

* * *

The Diner was deserted that even Luke was no where to be found. Knowing he was never late, Lorelai suspected Luke was upstairs in his apartment. She had not expected to have their conversation in such a familiar and intimate space.

"Luke?" Lorelai yelled up the stairs.

"Uhhh…Come on up," came Luke's muffled reply.

Lorelai slowly climbed the stairs, doing what she had thought she would never do again, and entered Luke's apartment. As she walked in, Lorelai noticed many changes that seemed to make the area seem bigger, and homier. As she surveyed the room, Lorelai's eyes stopped on the figure sprawled out under the kitchen sink.

"Luke?" Lorelai once again question.

"Oh hey," Luke said, extracting himself from the sink. He stood up and began to wipe her hands dry, "Sorry I wasn't downstairs. I know that I said 8:00, but I figured that meant 8:20 to you and well, my sink has been leaking for a week…I can't remember the last time you ever showed up on time."

Lorelai chuckled, moving into the kitchen to stand by him at the sink. "You know me too well."

"Yeah…I do," Luke shifted uncomfortably, remembering just how well he really did know her.

Lorelai could feel his gaze resting on her body. Until that moment, she had never thought she could feel entirely naked while still being fully clothed. But, with Luke's intense stare, Lorelai felt as if he were undressing her with his eyes. She blushed knowing that he knew exactly what was underneath the material. The tension between them came on quicker than either of them could handle. Lorelai felt her heart flutter and realized she was holding her breath. She could hear Luke's breathing becoming heavier and saw his eyes turn black and wild.

Before she knew it, Luke had closed the two foot gap between them and was kissing Lorelai so fiercely that she had no choice but to kiss back in fear of being knocked down backwards. Luke's hand were tangled in Lorelai's curly hair as the rest of his body pushed her forcefully up against the fridge. Luke was in total control. Lorelai subconsciously felt herself grind back up against him as Luke's arousal became evident against her hip. Their actions were purely animalistic. Within seconds, Luke had torn away Lorelai's shirt. While he worked on the buttons of her jeans, Lorelai successfully ripped away his flannel and undershirt, clawing at anything getting in the way of skin to skin contact. If possible, the kiss became more and more electrifying as the seconds passed. Luke continued his assault on her lips while his hands traveled to Lorelai's breasts. His urgent groping, on the verge of being painful, elicited small moans from Lorelai. Luke abruptly moved from Lorelai's lips down to her neck, passionately kissing, sucking and biting his way down to her breasts. Although still semi-delirious from Luke's attack on her nipples, now that her mouth was free, Lorelai could feel her brain clearing as oxygen rushed to her brain. She began to realize that this hook-up was not like anything else that she and Luke had done before. It was just that – a hook-up. There was no sort of connection or intimacy. Suddenly Lorelai felt cheap, and a sense of complete emptiness enveloped her body. Luke finally succeeded in undoing her jeans, but as he pulled them down her legs, Lorelai stiffened. She did not want it to be like this. She wanted to go slow, she wanted him to look her in the eye and moan her name like he used to, she wanted to be in a bed and she wanted it to be an act of love, not just sex. Fighting back tears, Lorelai unclasped her arms from around Luke's neck and placed her palms against Luke's chest, slightly pushing him away.

"I can't do this Luke…not like this," said Lorelai shakily.

Luke was still, his eyes black with desire, but lacking any sort of emotion that would tell Lorelai what he was thinking. They stood silently, foreheads resting against each other, breathing heavily. After a few seconds, Lorelai untangled herself entirely from Luke and began to get redressed. As she pulled her shirt back over her head, Lorelai noticed the hickey forming on her breast, knowing there were more like it along her neck.

"I'm sorry Luke," Lorelai whispered, pausing to look at him.

As she turned to leave, Luke stammered, "Lorelai…," seeming to have regained some motor skills.

"No Luke, not like this. I want to…I really want to…but not like this. You need to decide what you want. Think about it."

And with that, she was gone, fleeing the Diner without a look back, hoping that she could hold back the tears until she made it home. It was his decision to make, and now she just had to wait.

* * *

As Lorelai lay in bed that night, unable to sleep, she thought about Luke. Her lips were still raw and swollen from his mouth against hers, pushing her back up against the fridge. She could still feel the imprints in her back where magnets had dug. As Lorelai had changed into her pajamas, three large hickeys, two on her neck and one on her right breast, had seemed to scream at her, chastising her for being unable to control herself. And as she lay there in the dark, the raw skin between her jaw and chest reminded her of how much she had missed Luke and his scratchy face stubble. If she had believed that she was starting to get over Luke, she was wrong. There was no denying it. The floodgates had re-opened. Lorelai Gilmore still loved Luke Danes. 


	7. Chapter 7

Awaking the next morning, Lorelai had formed a plan. She and Luke had to go back to the basics of friendship. They obviously could not do this by having late night chats in his apartment, but avoidance was out of the question, as proved by the previous summer. Lorelai felt that the first step back to their friendship was to become accustomed to seeing one another again on a regular basis. This meant that on the way to the inn every morning, Lorelai would walk into the diner, order a coffee and muffin to go and leave. Lorelai set this plan into motion the very next morning. She did not doubt that her plan was a good one, but was apprehensive about what Luke's reaction would be when seeing her so soon after last night's events. However, Lorelai was determined and marched into Luke's at 8:30 the next morning.

"Hey Luke," Lorelai began in the friendliest tone she could muster.

"Hi…," said Luke, surprised but somewhat happy to see her.

However, when he noticed the pale blue turtleneck sweater she was wearing, even though it was 70 degrees outside, Luke averted his eyes and shifted uncomfortably. He knew that Lorelai was hiding her neck from him and from the entire town. He knew that he had been out of control and had probably left a few large and ugly marks on her usually flawless skin.

Lorelai noticed his discomfort, but continued on her mission, "A coffee and a blueberry muffin to go, please."

"Listen, Lorelai…" Luke began.

"Luke, wait, before you say anything, I want you to think about things. Give yourself time to really digest what happened and what you want. Until then, I'm going to become a customer again. Let's just see how things work out," said Lorelai in a hushed tone, not wanting other customers to pick up on the conversation. Her just entering the Diner had become the town's favorite topic, and she had only just entered five minutes ago.

Luke seemed to ponder her statement as he poured her coffee and put her muffin in a bag.

"Ok."

"Good," and with a small smile, Lorelai left the Diner feeling content, if not a little hopeful.

* * *

Lorelai kept good on her word for the next month. On weekdays, she would come to the diner for coffee and breakfast and occasionally she would come on the weekend for dinner. However, her orders were always to go and she was never in the Diner for more than five minutes a day. Although they frequently interacted, Luke and Lorelai's relationship was completely professional, each not brave enough to make the first step towards something more.

On a Wednesday morning, about four and a half weeks after the incident, Lorelai entered the Diner with Rory. Rory had yet to see Luke in person since he agreed to walk her down the aisle. Work and wedding planning were keeping her busy around the clock, and thus sadly keeping her away from Stars Hollow. On this particular day though, Rory had managed a day away and was eager to see Luke.

"Luke!" Rory exclaimed as she entered the Diner.

"Rory! Hi. I wasn't expecting you….or else I would have made some chocolate chip pancakes!"

Rory giggles, "You are a softy, Luke!"

As Lorelai watched the exchange between her daughter and Luke, her heart grew warm with memories from the past. Luke really had always been there for Rory, and he certainly was picking up Christopher's slack when it came to the wedding.

"So, what can I get you guys?" Luke questioned as he led them to two counter stools.

"Well, I'm not going to stay, so just a coffee to go, please," said Lorelai.

"You're not going to stay for a bit, Mom?"

"No hun, I've got to get to work," insisted Lorelai, catching Luke's gaze and holding it, looking for any sort of emotion, "You catch Luke up with the wedding plans and I'll see you later at the inn."

"Ok then. See you later," replied Rory.

"Lorelai, are you sure you have to go now? I'm sure you have as much, if not more, to say about the wedding than Rory here."

Luke purposely held Lorelai's gaze, encouraging her to stay, sending a silent message asking her to take a step forward in the mission to rebuild their friendship.

Sensing his feelings, Lorelai was encouraged by Luke's forwardness. It may have been unnoticed by Rory and other customers, but Lorelai knew what an important step it was for Luke. He was inviting her back into his world. He wanted more that just a custom/proprietor relationship with her. This was good….very good.

"Ummm, well, yeah, I guess I could stick around," replied Lorelai.

"Oh good Mom! Ok, so Luke, about the wedding…" started Rory as she began to ramble on about the wedding's every detail. Luke and Lorelai made eye contact, giving each other a small and reassuring smile, each knowing they were moving in the right direction.


	8. Chapter 8

**Ch. 8**

The awkward tension between Luke and Lorelai seemed to dissipate over the next few weeks. Both of them secretly looked forward to Lorelai's visits to the Diner. Although she tried to keep her stops casual, still ordering everything to go, Lorelai occasionally found herself falling into a comfortable conversation or flirty banter with Luke. Her visits slowly became longer and more frequent.

Two weeks before Rory's wedding, Lorelai walked into the Diner for a quick cup of coffee before work. As she poured her usual amount of coffee into her cup, Luke walked up to Lorelai and said in a hushed voice:

"Hey, Lorelai?"

"Hmmm?" questioned Lorelai as she continued adding packet after packet of sugar into her coffee, really only giving him half of her attention.

"Well, I was wondering…you know…about the wedding…"

Hearing Luke's nervous tone and his stutters, Lorelai looked up, concerned.

"Luke, what's up? You're not backing out on Rory are you?"

"Oh, no! 'Course not…" Luke still looked nervous and uncomfortable.

"Ok…then what is it?"

"Well, I was thinking, I mean since the wedding is all the way in New York City and since we are all staying at The Plaza for the whole weekend…well, I thought maybe you would want to go together. I know you don't really like to drive and paying for parking for two cars instead of just one would be ridiculous."

"Uhh…yeah that seems ok. Especially since we both have to be there so early on Saturday morning," said Lorelai casually, not really getting Luke's intentions.

"Actually what I meant was…I thought we could go together…like you would be my date."

Luke visibly tensed, knowing there was no going back now. He had asked Lorelai out. He could no longer deny that he wanted more. Not wanting to meet her gaze when she answered, Luke suddenly became very interested in his shoes.

"Your date?" Lorelai questioned, slightly stunned.

"Well, yeah," muttered Luke, still staring at his shoes.

"You and me?" asked Lorelai, not wanting to get her hopes up until she was absolutely sure she understood what he was asking.

"If it's too weird, I get it…but I'm really trying here, Lorelai," admitted Luke, finally looking her in the eye.

"Ok."

"Ok?"

"Yes, Luke. I would love to be your date."

Lorelai practically whispered her answer. She was still a little stunned and she felt like she was floating, not quite feeling her lower body anymore.

Having both committed to their date, Lorelai and Luke just looked at each other, knowing that this "date" was a point of no return. They could no longer convince themselves that all they wanted was friendship. They were meant to be more than friends, neither could deny it any longer.

Lorelai studied Luke's face. His eyes were soft, fixed on her, but glazed, probably remembering moments from their past. His stature was relaxed and his hands lay restless on the counter. Lorelai was pretty sure that if they hadn't been in the middle of his crowded Diner, and if the counter hadn't been separating them from contact, Luke would have kissed her. Only this time the kiss wouldn't be like the one in Luke's apartment. Their previous frantic, primordial and lustful kiss would be replaced with a slow, passionate and exploratory one. And this time, Lorelai was certain she wouldn't have the willpower to stop the kiss from turning into more.

Yes, they were definitely ready to move to the next stage of their relationship.


	9. Chapter 9

Lorelai couldn't help but feel nervous on the morning of Rory's wedding. Not only was her daughter getting married, but Luke was her date to the ceremony! The man who she thought were never look her in the eye again, was her date. He was trying. He still wanted her. Nervous butterflies seemed to take up permanent residence in her stomach as Lorelai showered and dressed. Luke arrived exactly at 6:00 am, and Lorelai was actually ready to go when he rang the doorbell. When Luke cracked a joke about this being the second time she was on time within a three month period, Lorelai smacked his arm and gave him a big smile. Everything felt good.

The drive to New York seemed to fly by. Luke and Lorelai's conversation never lacked and they spent the time talking about the Diner, the Inn and Rory. Lorelai even threw in some funny anecdotes about Emil going crazy over wedding plans. Occasionally, Luke would surprise Lorelai and mention April, a very rare topic between the two of them. But Luke seemed sincere, so Lorelai let him talk, believing that this time their relationship would be different. That this time they would make their relationship work.

They arrived at the Plaza at 8:45 am, fifteen minutes early. Lorelai took her time in the parking garage making sure she had everything she needed, ensuring that an emergency trip to CVS was not required. When she decided that all supplies were accounted for, they headed into the hotel, Luke carrying his bag, his tux bag and Lorelai's dress bag, while Lorelai grabbed her own overnight bag.

The check in went smoothly, having arrived early enough to avoid the rush of guests which was sure to come within the next three hours. Luke and Lorelai ended up getting rooms across the hall from each other and separated for the first time that morning so they could unpack and get settled.

"Ok, well I'm going to go and find Rory after I put my bags down," said Lorelai, comfortably leaning back up against her hotel room door.

Luke mirrored her position against his own door, "Sounds good…I'm sure she's been looking for you."

"Yeah…" Lorelai was suddenly very aware that there were two very empty beds waiting behind their doors and that they were in a very private and deserted hotel hallway, away from the prying eyes and ears of Stars Hollow residents. She caught Luke's gaze, he no doubt was thinking exactly the same thing. Lorelai marveled at how quickly she could get lost in Luke's eyes. They stared at each other for what could have been hours. Lorelai finally pulled her gaze away, looking down at the red carpet.

"Ok…" she began.

"You should go find Rory," Luke reminded her, trying to shrug off their 'moment'.

"Right. Ok, I guess I'll see you before the ceremony."

And with that, Lorelai turned around and let herself into her hotel room, leaving Luke still standing in the hallway. He too slowly turned and let himself into his empty room.

* * *

Lorelai found Rory easily. She just followed the high pitched yell of Emily Gilmore. When she found the suite, she quietly slipped in, not wanting to interrupt her mother's rants towards the probably innocent hotel staff.

"Mom!" Rory squealed, jumping out of the make-up chair and running into Lorelai's arms.

"Hey Kid. How are you holding up?"

"I'm good. Can you believe it? I'm getting married! Today!!"

"Yes you are, Babe. I'm so proud of you."

Tears started to well up in Lorelai's eyes. She had promised herself she would hold in the tears until the ceremony, but here she was, already close to blubbering.

"Oh Mom, don't cry! If you cry, I cry, and my make-up is almost done," Rory lectured, trying to be stern, but failing miserably.

"Ok, Ok," laughed Lorelai, "Then let's get you ready."

The next two hours were spent primping. Rory and her bridesmaids, Lane, Paris, Honor and Lorelai spent the time reminiscing, laughing and sometimes even crying, although they were always tears of joy. Lorelai told baby stories about Rory, Lane shared memories from their childhood, Paris threw in some Chilton anecdotes and even Honor had a few tales to tell from recent Huntzberger dinners.

About an hour before the wedding, there was a knock on the suite's door. Honor, being the only one who was dressed with both her hair and make-up done, went to answer the door. As Honor greeted the person at the door, Lorelai could tell by her tone that she did not know the visitor. It wasn't until she heard Luke's gruff voice, apparently trying to explain his presence to Honor, that she decided to speak up.

"It's ok, Honor, that's Luke, let him in," said Lorelai.

"Ahh, the infamous Luke! Come in!" exclaimed Honor as she swung the door open.

Luke tentatively walked through the doorway saying, "Richard and Emily suggested that I come and make sure that everyone's almost ready."

"Luke!" shrieked Rory, jumping up and wrapping Luke up in a hug.

"Hey Rory," said Luke disentangling himself from Rory and looking at her, "You look beautiful."

"Aww Luke you big softie," Rory giggled, as she went back to finish getting her hair done.

Lorelai, seeing her chance, motioned Luke over to a quite corner of the room. Seeing Luke in his fancy tux took Lorelai's breath away. It was so hard for her to put into words how much she had missed him over the past year. As she walked over to meet him in the corner, the butterflies in Lorelai's stomach reached a fever pitch of fluttering.

"Hi," said Luke, looking just as nervous as Lorelai felt, "How are you holding up?"

"Ahh, I'm good. She's just so happy. I don't think it'll really hit me until she puts the dress on."

"Well, then that won't be long now. We need to be downstairs in about forty minutes."

"Wow…well I guess its crunch time. The buttons up the back of the dress will alone take at last twenty minutes. Good thing I've already changed."

"Yeah. Ok well I will meet you all downstairs in a bit. And Lorelai, make sure you enjoy this…It's only going to happen once."

Lorelai chuckled and said, "I'm trying…" As she looked up into Luke's eyes, she realized how right it was for him to be there.

As she turned to walk back over to Rory, Luke grabbed Lorelai's wrist, pulling her close to him. He leaned down and whispered in her ear,

"Oh and by the way, out of all the people here, I definitely have the most beautiful date. You look gorgeous."

And with that, Luke let go of her wrist and left, waving good-bye to Rory as he went. Lorelai was left there speechless, chills still coursing through her body from Luke's hot breath on her ear. Taking a few deep breaths to calm herself before returning to the girls, Lorelai found herself absentmindedly rubbing her wrist, which Luke had just held. Even after so long, Luke's touch could make her feel like the only woman in the world.

"Ok Mom, I think I'm ready to put the dress on!" announced Rory, snapping Lorelai out of her daze.

Lorelai smiled and walked over to her daughter. She would think about Luke later. Right now, her daughter was getting married.


	10. Chapter 10

**Ch. 10**

The female part of the wedding party was only five minutes late when they arrived in front of the massive ballroom. Luke, Colin, Fin and Mark were waiting for them.

"It's about time ladies," quipped Fin, walking off to alert the orchestra that they could begin the ceremony.

As the group waited for the doors to open and for the wedding to begin, Lorelai pulled Rory off to the side for a moment alone.

"Hey, Kid," she whispered, taking a deep breath and reaching over to brush a stray hair out of Rory's face.

Rory just smiled, tears welling up in both of their eyes.

"I just wanted to say…" Lorelai began, pausing to gain some composure.

"I know Mom," Rory whispered.

"I'm just…" Lorelai tried again.

"I know," Rory repeated.

"Well ok then," said Lorelai, pulling Rory into a big hug.

They embraced for several moments until Paris walked over and interrupted.

"Ok, your moment is over…the ceremony is starting."

Lorelai and Rory separated.

"Time to get married," Lorelai chuckled, "I love you Rory."

"I love you too Mom."

And with that Lorelai handed Rory her bouquet and got in line for the procession.

The ceremony began with Logan's six year old niece who was the flower girl, an absolutely adorable blonde haired angel, who took her job very seriously, evenly distributing each flower along the aisle.

Paris and Fin followed the flower girl, Paris quietly yelling at Fin for obviously flirting with every girl they passed, trying to get him to focus and act serious for once.

Next came Lane and Colin both smiling sweetly, Lane trying to ignore her sons who were very loudly trying to get her attention.

Honor walked with Mark, who quickly walked down the aisle, taking their places at the front.

Before she knew it, it was Lorelai's turn to walk down the aisle. She was walking alone, a choice made by both Rory and Logan because they felt Logan did not have anyone as significant in his life as Lorelai was to Rory.

Lorelai made it down the aisle without crying, a feat she was very proud of. However, when she reached the front and turned around, the tears began to flow and refused to stop. The guests stood and turned to watch as Rory and Luke slowly made their way down the aisle. It was the most beautiful moment Lorelai had ever experienced. She could tell that Luke was choking up as well and saw the tears in his eyes that he would not allow to spill down onto his cheeks.

In this one moment, Lorelai finally felt like she had the whole package. She had a man whom she loved. They were working on building a future together. And most importantly, this man loved her daughter. He was the father that Rory had never had and for that she was eternally grateful.

As Luke handed Rory off to Logan, Lorelai saw Luke lean down and whisper into Rory's ear. She smiled and gave him a kiss on his cheek. Lorelai knew she would never know what he had said, but was sure that it was something that would stay with Rory for a very long time.

Luke turned and took his seat. After sitting, he looked up, directly at Lorelai. Giving her a sort of half smile, he winked. They held each other's gaze for another few moments, Lorelai silently thanking him for always being there for Rory and Luke silently reassuring her that everything was going to be ok, both with Rory and Logan and with him and herself.

Realizing she would miss the ceremony if she continued staring at Luke, Lorelai shook her head and focused on Rory and Logan. The ceremony seemed to fly by and before she knew it, the pastor was pronouncing them husband and wife.

As Logan kissed Rory and they began to make their way down the aisle, Lorelai finally let herself look at Luke. When her eyes focused on his face, she was surprised to see his eyes already on her. He had been staring at her. He had been thinking about her. The thought made her heart flutter and her excitement for the reception grow. At the reception, she and Luke could spend some quality time together and actually be on a date.

As the guests milled out of the ballroom, Luke caught up with Lorelai. They slowly made their way out, but before they reached the doors, Luke reached down and took Lorelai's hand in his. Squeezing gently, he leaned down and whispered in her ear,

"I'm so sorry. This should have been us a long time ago."

Lorelai squeezed her eyes shut and let out a small sigh.

"Yeah…I know."

Lorelai squeezed his hand back and rested her head on Luke's shoulder.

There was no more anger between them about what had happened in the past. There was only regret. But at that moment, each was silently vowing that they would never let anything come between them again.

Slowly, they made their way to the reception hall, knowing that now that the wedding ceremony was over, they could solely focus on themselves. It was going to be a fun night…


	11. Chapter 11

Before the reception, Rory and Logan's wedding pictures were scheduled to be taken. Luke and Lorelai made their way to a room next to the ballroom where a beautiful flower arrangement was set up to serve as a backdrop for the photos.

"Mom!" Rory squealed, jumping into her mother's arms.

"Hey, kid! You were absolutely gorgeous up there!!"

"The ceremony was beautiful Rory," piped in Luke.

"Thank you!" and turning to face Luke, "Really Luke, thank you so much – for everything. It meant everything to me for you to walk me down the aisle," said Rory as she hugged Luke.

Luke just smiled and nodded. Lorelai could tell that he was touched beyond words.

As Rory proceeded to squeal again, hug her mom and gush about the wedding, Luke shook hands with Logan, congratulating him.

After a few more minutes of congratulations, Rory and Logan were called over by the photographer to start with the pictures.

"It's about time you got here Lorelai," whined Emily, who had just turned around after making the photographer and his two assistants cry,

"Yeah, Mom, well Luke and I snuck off for a quickie before coming in. I hope you don't mind."

"Lorelai!" gasped Luke.

Emily, not phased by her daughter's snide comment, just gave Luke a one over, and turned around to find more fault with the photographer.

"Lorelai, please don't make this any harder for me," pleaded Luke.

"Oh chill out Luke. My Mom isn't going to do or say anything that will ruin Rory's day. Feel free to make any quip you want. Besides…"

"What? Besides what?" Luke questioned, still a little annoyed at Lorelai for putting him on the spot with her mother.

"Well, it's a good image to have," insisted Lorelai.

Luke, too flustered to understand what Lorelai was insinuating, exclaimed, "What image?"

"I would have chosen the second door on the left by the ballroom for our quickie. Thick walls to muffle my screams and the carpet looked soft," whispered Lorelai.

And with that, she walked away to join Rory and Logan at the flower backdrop. Luke was left red-faced, still flustered by Lorelai, but also a little excited.

"Luke, are you coming to join the picture?" Lorelai innocently called over to him.

* * *

Lorelai hadn't expected for things to turn awkward at the reception. Of course she hadn't expected Luke to immediately sweep her off her feet and waltz her around the room all night, but she had imagined easy conversation and a bit of flirting. However, all throughout dinner, her mind was an annoying blank. For the first time in her life she could not think of anything to talk about. Lorelai was even finding it hard to joke and make fun of the other wedding guests. Her mouth was dry and her mind empty.

Luke wasn't doing any better. He was visibly nervous, occasionally knocking over the pepper shaker or dropping his napkin on the floor. After a particularly ugly run in with the flower center piece when reaching for the water pitcher, Luke abruptly stood up.

"Ok, let's go."

"Luke! We can't go. It's my daughter's wedding! And you technically are the father of the bride. There would be hell to pay if we just left."

"I don't mean go, as in leave. I mean go, as in get up."

"Have you been sneaking tequila shots when I'm not looking?" teased Lorelai.

"No, now come on," said Luke as he gently pulled Lorelai up.

"Luuuuuke…Where are we going? I wasn't done with my meal," whined Lorelai.

Luke dragged Lorelai across the room, not answering, and then stopped just as quickly as he had started. He took a breath, turned to Lorelai and with a shy smile asked,

"Would you like to dance with me?"

Taken by surprise, Lorelai could only smile and nod. She took Luke's hand and they walked out onto the dance floor, any sort of nervousness or awkwardness quickly disappearing.

* * *

Being in Luke's arms once again was an amazing feeling. His left arm firmly gripped Lorelai's waist, holding them together hip to hip, while his right hand intertwined with her left and softly rested against his chest. Lorelai laid her head on Luke's left shoulder, leaving Luke to enjoy the fruity scent of her shampoo. The two of them slowly swayed back and forth, neither really paying attention to the music, both lost in their moment of intimacy.

"Lorelai?" Luke whispered.

"Hmmm?" murmured Lorelai, keeping her eyes closed and head in place.

"Lorelai," insisted Luke.

Reluctantly, Lorelai lifted her head to look at Luke, her hands moving up to wrap around his neck, her fingers playing with the small curls at the back of his head. Luke slipped both arms around Lorelai's waist, holding her close. She smiled at him.

"Yes, Luke?"

"Lorelai," Luke began again, "if we are going to do this…do us, again…we need to completely forgive each other. I need to know you understand how much I regret pushing you away and keeping April from you. Ok?" Luke questioned the sincerity clear in his tone.

Gazing into his eyes, Lorelai was silent, a very sad look in her eyes.

"Lorelai, please, I need you to forgive me," stated Luke, worried about Lorelai's hesitation.

Tears welled up in her eyes, "Oh Luke, of course I do. I'm just afraid…I mean…can you forgive me?" whispered Lorelai, her lower lip trembling.

It suddenly hit Luke why Lorelai hesitated. She was afraid he couldn't forgiver her. It killed him that she was unsure about his love for her.

"I already have, Lorelai," said Luke. "I already have," he repeated, wanting to make sure she heard him.

Tears began to flow down Lorelai's cheeks. Her smile proved the tears to be those of happiness and she quickly hugged Luke tightly, murmuring,

"Good. That's really good."

"I love you Lorelai," Luke whispered in her ear.

"Oh Luke, I love you too…so much."

She pulled back and looked Luke in the eye. They both grinned, reveling in the fact that massive weight had been lifted off both their shoulders.

Luke leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. It was sweet and tender, almost like a promise to be the first of many. Lorelai responded to his kiss and soon his tongue sought out hers. But before thins got too heated, and Lorelai wasn't able to beat back the temptation of leaving right then to take Luke upstairs, she remembered where they were and broke away from Luke.

She suddenly felt very empty without his lips on hers, but knew that it was the right thing to do.

"Oh no, Mr. Danes, there will be no sweeping me off my feet right now! We are at my daughter's wedding. I want to have fun, we need to eat and drink and dance some more!"

Luke smiled, loving that Lorelai felt no need to rush this. They had forever to be together. But he agreed – now was a time to celebrate Rory.

"Ok, ok," Luke chuckled, holding his hands up in defeat. But then he leaned down and whispered in her ear, "but tonight, it's just you and me."

The combination of Luke's hot breath in her ear and her anticipation for tonight caused Lorelai to shiver and smile.

"Deal."


	12. Chapter 12 Author Note

**Author Note - **

Ok…So I wanted to get reader opinions.

Do you think there should be more to this story? I have an idea of where I want to go with it, but comments are dwindling so I don't want to continue if people are tired of it.

Just send me a review and let me know what you think! This is my first fanfic so I want to make sure I do it right! haha.

Thank you!!!


	13. Chapter 13

**I am so sorry that this took forever for me to post!! After my author's note, I was overwhelmed by the support I got for this story. I meant to update immediately, but finals and a new job have kept me extremely busy! Thank you all for your support...I can't explain the feeling I get when I recieve a review. I get almost giddy! haha. I hope you like this next chapter...I think it sets up some great future L/L interaction (hmmm a little dirty?) for the next chapter. Let me know what you think!**

* * *

Lorelai could not remember the last time she felt so happy. She suspected that this new feeling had something to do with Luke. Knowing that they were back on track and that this time it would work, seemed to put her emotions into overdrive. 

Over the past year, there had been little for Lorelai to be truly happy about. Even when planning her only daughter's wedding, she felt like something was missing. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy every time Rory gushed about the wedding. Many nights, after Rory was long gone on her way back to her apartment and to Logan, Lorelai would sit in her empty, quiet house and shed silent tears about the life she could have….should have had.

Having had to grow up overnight once Rory was born, Lorelai learned at an early age to never take things for granted. She had never let herself plan ahead too far, in fear of not succeeding. But when she and Luke had gotten engaged, she had mistakenly broken her own rule. Lorelai had let her plan. First, she had planned their June 3rd wedding, which fell apart almost as quickly as it had come together. Then, she had allowed herself to believe that Luke was moving in. She had even renovated her house to make room for him. But that plan fell through too. And, what hurt Lorelai the most was the reality that her plans for a family, her hopes for a middle, her hopes for another kid, would never come true. She had made a lot of plans in the past and she had been destroyed by them. This time, there would be no plans. She just wanted to be with Luke. It was that simple. Her new 'come what may' attitude left her giddy with anticipation.

"Hey Sugah! How you holding up?" Babette questioned as she approached Lorelai's table and snapped Lorelai out of her daydream.

"Oh, I'm good Babette. I can't believe she's married. I mean, she's somebody's wife!"

Babette opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by the band, who announced Logan and Rory's first dance as man and wife. Lorelai watched as the two made their way out onto the dance floor, hand in hand, smiling at each other like they were the only ones in the ballroom.

As Logan and Rory slowly started to sway to "Open Arms" by Journey, Lorelai began to scan the room for Luke, who had excused himself to go to the bathroom about five minutes ago. She finally found him, cornered by one of Richard's business associates, no doubt trying to convince Luke to franchise the Diner.

Making a beeline over to Luke, Lorelai quickly made up a lie that Luke had a phone call awaiting him at their table, and ushered him away from the prying businessman.

"Oh my God…I definitely owe you for that," grumbled Luke, "He came out of nowhere. There wasn't anywhere to hide!"

"You're just lucky that I'm the queen of getting out of uncomfortable situations. I mean, I am Emily Gilmore's daughter," smirked Lorelai.

When Luke and Lorelai got back to their table, instead of sitting, Luke offered Lorelai his hand once again.

"Would you like to dance?"

"Wow…twice in one night? I am one lucky girl!"

"You have no idea…" whispered Luke, sending chills down Lorelai's back, reminding her of their earlier deal.

"Hmmm…I think I do, Mr. Danes," flirted Lorelai.

As he led her towards the dance floor, Lorelai caught Rory's eye. Rory gave Lorelai and Luke a knowing look and flashed her mom a thumbs up.

_Remind me to mock her for that thumbs up later_, thought Lorelai. However, she smiled back at Rory, the two of them having a wordless conversation, which was not that unusual for them. Thanks to their unbreakable bond, Rory and Lorelai's silent conversation let Rory know that Luke and Lorelai were back together and let Lorelai know that her daughter was already sick of the fancy reception and ready to head out.

"Ok, well Rory just signaled me to start wrapping this shindig up. So, just this dance and then I've got to go announce the bouquet toss."

"Does that mean we can get out of here soon?" Luke questioned.

"Mmm Hmmm," muttered Lorelai, once again getting lost in Luke's arms.

"Good."

They continued to dance for the next few minutes, but reluctantly separated when the song ended. Lorelai headed off to notify the band that they were ready to start the bouquet and garter toss and Luke went back to their table, knowing he would be in the way if he just followed Lorelai around.

After a few minutes, Luke towards the stage when he heard the sound of Lorelai's voice vibrating through the sounds system. He was amazed at her ability to commandeer the entire crowd's attention and organize them into two separate groups of men and women.

The women went first, gathering in a group to await the bouquet toss. Rory walked up onto the stage, gave her mom a hug and turned around, preparing to throw. However, after a second's hesitation, she turned back to her mom, animatedly gestured for Lorelai to join the group of women behind them. Lorelai seemed to reluctantly agree, but quickly hurried towards the group. Once again, Rory turned around, seemed to wait a second, and then tossed the bouquet over her head.

There was a small scuffle and the room filled with shrieks and squeals as the women all lunged for the bouquet. It wasn't clear at first who ended up with it, but the group quickly parted and Lorelai emerged from the middle, holding the bouquet.

Luke laughed out loud as he watched Lorelai come into view, her hair and dress a little mussed from the struggle. She glanced over at him and he noticed her face go a little red. But when she saw him laughing, her face broke out into a huge grin. Rory caught up with Lorelai shortly after, giving her mother another huge hug. The quick glance Rory made over towards Luke did not go unnoticed as she continued to celebrate Lorelai's good fortune.

Next came the garter toss. Luke did not participate, choosing to ignore Lorelai and Rory's protests that he join the group of men. He cheered along with everyone else as Colin caught the garter. However, he could not keep his eyes off of Lorelai, who now stood next to him, tightly clutching the bridal bouquet. His heart ached knowing that he was the reason that she had yet to have her own wedding, but reassured himself by remembering how well things were currently going between them.

The wedding seemed to end quickly after that. Logan and Rory made one last round around the room, thanking everyone for coming. Lorelai had dragged Luke towards the door, making sure that Rory would reach them last. Lorelai wanted to be the last one to wish her daughter a happy honeymoon.

"Have a great time, kid," Lorelai said, giving Rory one last hug. She then turned to Logan, and offered him a congratulatory hug. "Try to hold off on the baby making on this romantic honeymoon…I'm not sure I'm ready to be a grandmother!" Lorelai joked.

"Mom…" Rory started.

"Oh I'm just kidding, babe. Just have a great time and call me when you land."

"I love you Mom."

"I love you too Rory."

Logan and Rory turned to leave, but Rory quickly turned back around, whispered something in her Mom's ear and ran to catch up with Logan, who was now holding the elevator for her.

As Luke and Lorelai headed back into the ballroom, needing to pick up Luke's suit jacket and Lorelai's purse before they could leave, Luke questioned,

"So what did she say?"

"Oh nothing…"

"Lorelai, come on."

"Let's just say that she had the same advice for me that I had for her."

"What about having a good honeymoon? We're not going on a trip."

"No, it was more about the baby making…" Lorelai grinned and looked up at Luke. "She's a smart one, that one."

Luke just stared at Lorelai, horrified that Rory was hinting towards his and Lorelai's sex life.

"Oh come on, Luke. She is a married woman now. She's allowed to know these things."

When Luke continued with his 'deer caught in the headlights' look, Lorelai grabbed him by the arm and directed him out of the room.

"Let's go babe. You still have to keep up your side of our deal."

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**Please let me know what you think! I accept any sort of review, be it support, constructive critisism or ideas for where to take the story. I promise to start updating more regularly! Thank you!**

**PS - Did anyone else see the Ausiello report that said ASP wanted to come back and write a 2 hr movie to resolve the storyline?? I can not wait! It better happen...**

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